Fabrication and in vitro evaluation of mucoadhesive ondansetron hydrochloride beads for the management of emesis in chemotherapy

Background: Mucoadhesive beads were fabricated and evaluated for controlled release of an antiemetic drug ‘Ondansetron Hydrochloride’. Ondansetron hydrochloride is a serotonin 5‑HT3 receptor antagonist mainly used for the treatment of emesis, which occurs as a side effect of chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: The present work was to fabricate and evaluate ondansetron‑loaded microbeads by using chitosan as mucoadhesive and sustained release polymer. Sodium tripolyphosphate (Na‑TPP) was used as a cross‑linking agent. The microbeads were successfully prepared by ionotropic gelation technique. The particle size, entrapment efficiency, and mucoadhesive strength of drug‑loaded formulations was measured by an optical microscope, direct crushing method, and in vitro wash‑off method, respectively. Results: Particle size, entrapment efficiency, mucoadhesive strength, and in vitro drug release of optimized formulation was found to be 760.11 ± 1.02 µm, 75.09 ± 2.40%, 95.14 ± 0.27% and 87.45 ± 1.21%, respectively. The data was fitted to different kinetic models to illustrate its anomalous (non‑Fickian) diffusion. Conclusions: The results revealed that ondansetron HCl loaded microbeads are most suitable mode of drug delivery for promising therapeutic action. Ondansetron HCl‑loaded microbeads can prove to be potential pharmaceutical dosage forms for sustaining the drug release and reducing the dose frequency.